|
Kokua Line
June Watanabe
|
Pedestrian signs don’t all mean ‘walk’
Question: In front of the Hawaii State Federal Credit Union on Hotel Street, there is a street sign showing an image of a pedestrian walking. This sign is about halfway between Alakea and Richards streets and not close to any crosswalk. I'm curious -- is it OK to cross the street at this sign, or would this be jaywalking?
Answer: You'd be jaywalking if you crossed there, according to the Honolulu Police Department.
The sign might be confusing, especially where it's posted, and we saw at least one person crossing right at that sign one day.
But that sign is meant for motorists, not pedestrians.
There are two types of signs in that area, as well as in other areas downtown, said HPD Lt. Jerry Wojcik, of the Traffic Division.
"The sign with the image of a walking pedestrian, which is centered between two parallel black lines, denotes a crosswalk," he said. "The sign with just the walking image, without the two lines, is a warning to motorists that a crosswalk is ahead and to use caution."
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
A pedestrian runs across Hotel Street where there is a pedestrian crossing sign but no crosswalks.
|
|
Q: I live on University Avenue. I don't want to go all the way up to Kinko's on King Street to cross the street, then turn around. There are openings for cars to turn along University Avenue. Are there unmarked crosswalks there? What is an unmarked crosswalk, and how can we tell where they are?
A: Unmarked crosswalks "are the continuation of sidewalks of intersecting streets, or if there is no crosswalk, where a crosswalk would normally be," is how Lt. Wojcik explained it.
If there is an intersecting street, such as at University and Coyne, "then there are unmarked crosswalks continuing from the sidewalks of Coyne across University."
Another example: Kuulei Street also intersects with University Avenue, and there is a marked crosswalk on one side, Wojcik said. "The other side would be an unmarked crosswalk."
Hearing Aid Repairs
A "Kokua Line" reader Is looking for anyone on Oahu who repairs hearing aids at home. She said sending them out otherwise is costly, and she's hesitant to use one of the many listed on the Internet. If anyone knows of such a service, please call 529-4773 and leave a message.
Meanwhile, the request for information on anyone who repairs rotary phones did not lead to any contact locally. One caller pointed to a mainland business that advertises on the Internet: www.oldphoneman.com.
Got a question or complaint? Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered. E-mail to
kokualine@starbulletin.com.
See also: Useful phone numbers